


Hopeless Wanderers

by PinkPaperStars



Series: Qrow/Neo [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Mild Sexual Content, Soft Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:48:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22945795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkPaperStars/pseuds/PinkPaperStars
Summary: He almost reminds her of Roman.It's the way he makes her feel.But he doesn't remind her of Roman.And Neo is okay with that.
Relationships: Past Neopoltian/Roman Torchwick, Qrow Branwen/Neopoltian
Series: Qrow/Neo [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1649059
Comments: 6
Kudos: 32





	Hopeless Wanderers

**Author's Note:**

> First part in a loosely connected collection of Qrow/Neo stories. They'll be in a collection.

He almost reminds her of Roman.

They were practically cut from the same cloth, but stitched together differently.

Roman, a poor orphan in Mistral. With a desire to claw his way to something better. Even if it meant to lie, cheat, and steal his way to the top.

Qrow, a bandit child of Anima. A cunning and deceptive, raised to be to survive with his people. A fire burned in him, a desire to do something more.

Both of them found her in a bar.

Roman smelled of cheap cigarettes, and was wearing cheap worn shoes. He had caught her hand trying to empty his pockets of Lien, something she had done for several drunk patrons already. He smiled at her.

"You look like trouble and fun," He told her, a gleam of mischief in his eyes.

Qrow smelt of gunpowder and had on well worn boots, covered in remnants of Grimm. He caught her eyeing him from a distance, wary of all huntsman since the fall. He bought her a drink and sat at the table with her.

"You look lonely and up to no good," He told her, a watchful look over her.

\--

He almost reminds her of Roman.

He takes long and lazy strides. But instead of his back straight and sauntering around the world like he owns it, his shoulders are slumped forward, and he's hunched. Both looked like they were stalking prey, but Roman had confidence about him. Like nothing would stop him. Qrow was more of the silent stalker, prey unaware of the approaching predator.

It feels familiar to her, because Neo is also a silent predator. Ready to strike at her opponent and bring them to their knees before her.

Walking beside him is almost the same. She takes short and quick strides to keep up with either of them. Roman would stop from time to time, turning to look at the woman hadn't disappeared. Prone to violence and theft, if they had been headed somewhere, Roman liked to keep an eye on his partner.

Qrow stopped on occasion, though did not look back for her. Assuming if she was distracted by the promise of a fat pocket book or needing to deal with a leering onlooker, that she would catch up. And when she did he'd give her a little nod of his head before resuming walking.

Its nice to have someone to walk alongside. It makes the trip back to Mistral less lonely.

\--

He almost reminds her of Roman.

They both gave her annoying nicknames.

They never really bothered her. The made Neo feel seen, feel like a person and not a nuisance. It was better that being called anything she had been called before either of them. It was better than being called 'girl', 'mute', or 'orphan'.

Roman called her 'ice cream.' With soft touches, and running his fingers through her hair. When he gave her a wicked smile, the kind that made her feel like they could do anything.

He called her dear, darling, and every endearing that came to his mouth. Names that were to mock others, but not her. His words for her came from sweet lips with soft eyes.

Qrow called her 'cupcake.' With casual touches, brushing dust off her shoulders after a fight. He had sharp eyes that watched her, awake of her movements on the battlefield or across the bar.

He called her other things, like spit fire and kitten. It wasn't something she found a rhyme or reason to. They were said in jest, even when it was something like 'Easy there, Killer,' came out of his mouth. The names perplexed her sometimes, they didn't always sound sweet and kind, but even in his gravelly voice they sounded affectionate.

Their voices were different.

Roman's had been smooth and slick. Full of trouble and mischief. He was a silver tongued man, words and conversation came easy. The voice of a smooth criminal.

Qrow's was low and full of gravel. He sounded grave and worn down most of the time. Rough around the edges, he stammered and stumbled over words at times. Like the reluctant hero he was.

But each voice had a way of giving affection, had a tone to it that could be honest and sweet when the chose.

\--

He almost reminds her of Roman.

The casual touching had surprised Neo. It was not something she had expected from the lone wolf of a huntsman.

He played with her hair. Ran his fingers through her hair. Pushed loose strands from her face after a fight or a bar brawl. Took the brush from her and pulled it through the loose tangles in the mornings as she sipped coffee. Braided it absentmindedly when they sat at night.

It reminded her of Roman teaching her to take her wild and unkempt hair when she was a teenager. When she would have normally cut off the long tangles, he had taken the time to brush and remove all the knots from her hair. He'd scold her for not taking better care of her mass of hair.

Qrow wasn't just gentle with her hair though. He got drunk and some evening buried his face on her locks. He'd bury his hands in it and ruffle it until the curls were full of tangles, only stopping when he was laughing too hard and hands were slapping at his arms. He would playful tug at her hair when she pointedly ignored him.

She doesn't mind it. Which is strange, because anyone else who messed with her hair was on the receiving end of sharp slaps and getting smashed by Hush.

But she likes the feeling of Qrow's hands in her hair.

Qrow tucked her under his arm, much like Roman had.

Roman's arm would drape across her shoulders, pull her close to his side, and his hand would rest on her shoulder or upper arm. Loose and casual, but protective enough. A way to tell others that she was with him,but ready to let her run off to defend them at a moment's notice. It was warm and relaxed. Comfortable to be near.

He smelt like expensive cigars and nice cologne. Of bourbon and aftershave. He smelt like comfort after a long day, pulling her in.

Qrow's arm would pull her in tight, across her back and hand on her arm. Her shoulder pressed into his torso, his fingers tight on her arm. Nervous, about a noise, a person coming to close for comfort, or something else she couldn't pinpoint. But his hand would relax after a moment, and his thumb rub would rub against her arm.

He smelt of gunpowder and pine trees. Of cheap whiskey and dirt. He smelt like comfort after a long day, holding her close.

Roman's hands had always been casual with her. Reaching out to touch and caress her. There was no holding back, no worries that she wasn't going to be right there for him. There was no fear. His hands were bold and free. Warm and certain.

Qrow's hands were hesitant or needy. There were times he reached towards her but stopped. There were times they grabbed her and didn't let go, like if he did, she wouldn't be there anymore. His hands were hot and cold. There was longing and uncertainty.

Roman held her arm. Qrow held her hands.

There were times when he didn't remind her of Roman at all.

\--

He reminds her what it feels like to be kissed.

Roman kissed her soft and slowly at first. Like she was someone precious, and knowing that he was crossing a line in their friendship. But they got bolder, and more sure as they went.

The first time Qrow kissed her it was hard and needy. His hand wrapped around the back of her neck, and he pulled her in. They had been resting under a tree, Neo staring up at the stars when he pulled her in. His nose bumped against hers at first, resulting in a muffled curse and both of them tilting their heads to the side. His hands pull at her, one on her arm, the other on the back on her neck. His lips press into her, crushing against her. Like there is a primal need to contact that is immediate and pressing.

Neo follows his pull, moving from sitting beside him to crawling into his lap. Qrow's arm slides around her waist, and her hands touch his face, sliding into shot and messy hair. His stumble scraped against her face. It was different, but a good different.

Qrow was a good different.

He bit at her lips, and she bit back.

He kissed her like she was air and he was drowning.

It wasn't graceful or sweet, but it was passionate. His hands didn't wander, one tangled in her mess of hair and the other firm on her back.

Her fingernails scratched against his scalp. And she kissed him as fiercely as he kissed her.

It could have been moments, it could have been hours, but in likelihood it was only a few minutes before they separated. Slowly, pulling back, their making out calms, becomes bites at swollen lips, and before firm kisses and separation. Her hands come to rest on his shoulders. He untangled his hand from her hair, running his fingers through her hair.

They looked at each other for a moment, and he moved his hand to her hip.

"Okay?" She nodded. "Okay."

He pulled her back in, less needy and desperate, but kissed her again. His hands didn't grip her like she was going to disappear if he didn't hold her tight enough. And she kissed him until she didn't remember what it wasn't like to kiss him.

He kissed her a lot after that.

Affectionate soft kisses, on hands, on foreheads, on cheeks. As they walk, when they eat, and before they go to sleep.

Long kisses, when they settle for a break in travelling, In the morning waking up, and when they laid down to rest.

Qrow kissed her in so many ways, ways that made her stomach flutter in a way she did not expect it to.

\--

He reminds her what it feels like to be understood.

And not just because he was picking up on sign language fast.

Qrow understood that she wasn't a weak or frail person. That despite her size, she was a force to be reckoned with. That the soft colour she wore were the camouflage of a predator. That sweet eyes were capable of sharp looks.

He didn't always understand, but it came with time.

There had been a part of her that worried, a small part of her, that no one would understand her after Roman died. That no one would make the effort again.

And it wasn't just that he learned to interpret her hands. It was that he tried to copy, and talk back to her with his.

His hands were sloppy, and he forgot the motions sometimes. But he took the care to spell out the words he couldn't remember the motions to. And he spoke along with his signs, the gravelly voice making up for what his unpracticed hands didn't know.

It made her smile, knowing that Qrow knew every curse or dirty word she taught him.

\--

He reminded her what passion felt like.

The discarding of clothes of clothes in shady hotel rooms. The feeling of his calloused hands running over her skin. The scratch of his five o'clock shadow against skin. To not think for a while, and just to feel and enjoy.

Qrow didn't treat her like she was breakable. But something, someone precious. His lips danced across her skin. His hands burned across her body. His arm held her close. And his body grounded her to the moments.

Sweaty moments pressed together. Intense moments shared by both. And intimate moments laying together in bed.

It was somewhat in these moments, he reminded Neo what it felt like to be loved.

When Qrow gave her a dirty smirk.

When Qrow held her in the afterglow.

When Qrow counted freckles on her back, to see if she was changing them.

When Qrow draped his arm over her and made her feel at home.

When Qrow kissed her in the morning light and ran his hands through her hair.

\--

He almost reminds her of Roman.

In the way he made her fall in love.

It had never been something Neo had looked for, sought out. A girl like her, a woman like her, needed to survive. And she would cheat and steal to get what she needed.

Roman and Qrow taught and re-taught her that she didn't have to need something to want something.

She didn't to be understood, to be touched, to be observed, to be beside someone.

She didn't need loved.

But she wanted it.

\--

She woke up one morning, wrapped in warm blankets and Qrow's shirt. He was pacing back and forth, talking on his scroll.

Neo sat up and gave him a quizzical look. He gave her a warm but tense smile. He walked over to the bed and sat down, allowing her to sit up and run her fingers soothingly through his hair. He leaned into the touch of her hands.

"Don't worry, I'll find her and keep an eye on her," Qrow ran his fingers through her hair. "Yeah, I'm already up and on the road. I'll keep you updated if I have reception. Later," He closed the scroll before giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"Going to need that shirt back, even though it looks good on you," Qrow chuckled.

_Where are you going?_ Neo asked, giving him a concerned look.

"One of my nieces decided to take a road trip. Gotta keep an eye on her," She blinked a few times, before throwing his shirt at him. She was annoyed at him. Making her feel special, understood, and loved. And now he was just going to leave her here.

"Woah cupcake, feeling aggressive this morning," She scowled at him. "Let's get you some coffee before we hit the road,"

It took her a moment.

She blinked a few times.

He picked his shirt and looked at her.

_You're not leaving me behind?_

"Of course not, not unless you want to ditch me for following my niece," Neo shook her head. She dove out of bed and get ready.

She wasn't sure she'd gotten dressed that fast in her life before.

And Qrow, took her hand, got her a coffee, and the two set out on the road.

\--

He almost reminds her of Roman.

It's the way he makes her feel.

But he doesn't remind her of Roman.

And Neo is okay with that.


End file.
